<p>So, I know that they say the interviews are optional, but would it really help me to do one? Are the interviews optional like those "optional" essays on some supplements, where they really aren't optional at all? It's just that they seem so pushy about getting people informed about them, so I feel like they kind of want you to have one?</p>
<p>They are relatively straightfoward in the FAQ in stating that failing to interview is not a disadvantage:</p>
<p>"therefore applicants who are unable or choose not to interview are not at a disadvantage in the admission process. "</p>
<p>This is pure speculation but my guess is that an interview may offer a very slight advantage - similar to a campus visit perhaps - that gets your name on a list and in front of the admissions team. It may even mean your app gets reviewed by two seperate people instead of just one. This is just pure speculation though. That being said, I got in without an interview and see many on CC and know personally several others who were accepted without interview. My impression is that getting accepted without an interview is the rule and not the exception. I did however make a campus visit.</p>